


what queens don't do (even ex-queens)

by DestinyFreeReally



Series: 100 Swan Queen Ficlets [21]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-16
Updated: 2017-05-16
Packaged: 2018-11-01 09:40:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10919229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DestinyFreeReally/pseuds/DestinyFreeReally
Summary: The wedding was only two days away, and Regina all but counted on having another hangover the morning after that. Emma Swan and Captain Hook… her mind still boggled the thought, even after making her long, grudging peace with her fate. A long time ago, maybe a different Regina would’ve went after… She shook her head, god, she must’ve drank a lot more than she’d meant to.





	what queens don't do (even ex-queens)

    Drumming her fingers over her thighs, Regina had had _just about_ enough Bachelorette-partying for one night- and from her far-off look across the room, Emma had, too. After a limited attempt at club-hopping, somehow the party made its way back to the Charmings’, for ice cream and Schnapps and poker; strewn cards and beer bottles with half-peeled labels were the only things left to really clean up, but Snow was already snoring, Zelena was nearly green from the alcohol, and even Belle looked partied-out.   
  
    “Shall we call it a night, ladies?” Regina smiled as she stood, sober enough to drive; she’d muscled through the last rounds of poker without Schnapps- and that hadn’t been pretty.   
  
    “You don’t wanna stay here? Call it a sleepover and we can have a collective Girls’ Hangover Breakfast?” Emma nudged Regina with her elbow, distanced look shaken from her face, and Regina marveled how she could do that- just snap back and forth between _somewhere_ and right there. With the party coming to a close, Emma's brain nagged that it was one night closer to her wedding, and she didn't like the feeling that notion put in her chest.  _Just pre-wedding jitters,_ Emma reminded herself. Everyone got those, right?  
  
   Shaking her head, Regina preferred to hangover in private; in the morning her head wound pound, she’d curse under her breath, and then Spanish coffee would touch her tongue and she’d be cleared.  
  
    The wedding was only two days away, and Regina all but counted on having another hangover the morning after that. _Emma Swan and Captain Hook_ … her mind still boggled the thought, even after making her long, grudging peace with her fate. A long time ago, maybe a different Regina would’ve went after… She shook her head, _god_ , she must’ve drank a lot more than she’d meant to.   
  
    “I don’t get hangovers,” She lied, sticking out her tongue at Emma; they’d kept the evening light, it’d even been fun at times, lots of laughter. Until the waves of realization came back, that they were celebrating Emma’s impending marriage.   
  
    More than anything, Regina just wanted Emma to be happy, but every time the girls’ conversation circled back to Hook, back to their approaching wedding night, or the proposal(s)- Emma went stiff, and all Regina could hope was that she was seeing things.  
  
    “Of course not; lemme guess,  _magic_?” Emma looked for the secret in Regina’s eyes, about ready to call bullshit, because even queens got hangovers, right? But something else flickered between them for a second while Emma smiled.   
  
    “Something like that.” Regina said, and tore her eyes from Emma’s after what felt like too many seconds of near-intimacy. Emma would marry Hook, she’d be a beautiful bride and Regina would be the supportive best friend she’d tried to be the last few months; even as the thought stole her breath. Even as the thought of Emma settling down, and _settling_ for Hook at all, prompted a lump in her throat too big to swallow. “Goodnight, Emma.” Regina reached for the door with a sigh; bachelorette’s party done with, there weren’t that many moments left before the wedding.  
  
   “Goodnight, Regina. Thank you for coming to this,” Emma reached for Regina’s shoulder, at first offering just a soft, casual touch, but on a brazen impulse- _she’d had how many beers?_ \- Emma leaned forward, kissing Regina’s cheek, quickly and softly.   
  
    The lump in her throat grew unmanageable at that, and Regina smiled tersely, and all but ran to her car. _Walked swiftly_ ; queens didn’t run. Queens didn’t run, they didn’t get hangovers, and they didn’t get in between marriages- even _ex_ Queens.   
  
    Gripping her steering wheel hard the whole way home, Regina repeated _Emma Swan-Jones_ in her head like a mantra, like a punishment. _Emma Swan-Jones._ _Emma Swan. Jones. Mrs. Killian Jones. Mrs. Captain Hook._ Regardless of any kiss on the cheek, Regina reminded herself that Emma had said yes to marrying Hook, she _was_ going to marry Hook, and at that Regina let herself cry for exactly one timed minute, before she dried under her eyes, left her car, and went straight to bed. 


End file.
